


An apple for serenity and a pendant for balance

by noxelementalist



Series: Scenes from an Epilogue [2]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Collection: Purimgifts Day 2, Gen, Jewelry, Shopping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-17 02:40:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29585976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/noxelementalist/pseuds/noxelementalist
Summary: Salvagers knew sometimes you let the treasure come to you, not the other way around.
Series: Scenes from an Epilogue [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2173617
Comments: 7
Kudos: 6
Collections: Purimgifts 2021





	An apple for serenity and a pendant for balance

**Author's Note:**

  * For [aelisheva](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aelisheva/gifts).



> just slightly past the end of the Rise of the Skywalker
> 
> Title Inspired by Disney’s Mulan (the animated one)

Once upon a time, Tatooine had been a lush jungle, full of water, wood, and wildlife. It had only taken its current shape after empire upon empire, warlords upon mobsters, had slowly stripped it into an arid desert wasteland widely viewed as a curse and a mistake. Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, like much of his generation, had fled Tatooine seeking adventure. And the famed Jedi General Anakin Skywalker- one of Tatooine’s most illustrious former residents, and suspected by many to be somehow related to Luke- had been quoted describing his home world as coarse, rough, and irritating. Far better had been the home world of his wife, Senator Amidala, which Anakin had described as being as soft and smooth as her. 

To Rey though, who had most of her life on Jakku, Tatooine felt astonishingly like home. Sure the land was dry, but not worse than Jakku. Tatooinians were kind, but firm, having survived on the planet’s surface through three collapses of civilizations with neighbors more than likely to advise a visit to the dodgier side of the nearest town if annoyed.

Rey smiled to herself as she walked through the marketplace of Mos Eisley. The last store owner had been irritated to see a stranger walk in, especially one with salvage experience. “Well, if you’re going to be picky,” the shopkeeper had grumbled after Rey had turned down a sale for the eighth time, “you better try Chalmun’s store.”

“Thank you,” Rey had said politely before leaving. She hadn’t had anything in mind. Hard to, really, when she’d spent the past week defeating the First Order, killing an emperor, pulling herself together enough to bury two lightsabers, and finish assembling her own.

But salvagers knew sometimes you let the treasure come to you, not the other way around.  So Rey had walked, wandering past vendors selling toys and machine parts and food she was relatively sure was Tatooine delicacies, though who would eat fried scurrier was beyond her. Walked past the supposed Mos Eisley Cantina which apparently  _ still _ received pilgrims hoping to revisit the place rumored to be where Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Han Solo had first met. 

[And, Rey proudly admitted to herself, had done so so without stopping to talk back to three Force Ghosts, two of which were Jedi and all _three_ of which had been  _ aghast _ at the discovery.]

She had kept walking until, at least, she arrived at a small shop simply titled Chalmun’s. “Hello?” Rey called out.

In response came a rolling, tonal bellow, matched by the appearance of a large, grey and beige Wookie, one (Rey had to admit) better dressed than Chewie, with a vest that matched his handlebar mustache strikingly well. “Are you Chalmun?” Rey confirmed. “My apologies, my Shyriiwook isn’t strong enough to talk in yet.”

Chalmun trilled back, his face taking on a pleased appearance.  _ Guess not too many people know his language’s name _ , Rey thought to herself. “Anyway,” she continued, “I’ve just come from an abandoned moisture farm that my...family used to run, before they left Tatooine, and I was advised to come here and get something? Nothing in particular, just...something.”

The Wookie stared at Rey for a long moment, before holding up a hand as he turned and walked into a backroom. A moment later he returned and opened his hand in front of Rey.

“Oh,” Rey murmured, running her finger along the strands of white and black beads. “It’s lovely.”

Chalmun grabbed Rey’s hand, turning it over to place the band inside it. He then opened his hand and looked at her.

“Right, price,” Rey murmured, before depositing in the Wookie’s palm a sum of credits she knew was far too much, but which had been given to her as “tribute to the wise Jedi.”

She was not wise. She did not deserve tribute. But Rey had taken the money anyway, knowing she’d find a reason to spend it.

Chalmun looked down at it, then back at her, and solemnly returned one coin before turning and disappearing again into the backroom.

_ Well, I guess that’s that _ , Rey thought to herself.  _ Alright. “ _ Thanks!” she shouted back, receiving an answering bellow from the backroom before she turned and exited the store.

Outside she carefully snuck the bracelet inside her armband. “Give up two lightsabers, gain a strand of Light and Dark Beads,” she muttered. “I suppose the Force likes bargaining too.”

For a brief second Rey thought she heard the laughing whisper of ghosts, of women and Jedi Rey knew she’d have a lifetime to know. But the moment passed and, with a soft huff and the Tatooine sun beating down, Rey walked back through the marketplace, past the surviving descendants of slaves that had made bargains of their own, and returned to her flyer.


End file.
